Short on wide receivers last season, the Giants made several modest investments at the position this year. Those moves came as Wan’Dale Robinson rehabbed a torn ACL. Robinson’s return, however, will end up bumping one of those vets off the roster.
The Giants are releasing Jamison Crowder, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL.com report. As Crowder comes off the Giants’ roster, Robinson will return. Stashed on the active/PUP list throughout training camp and the preseason, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan notes the 2022 second-round pick will not stay on the list to start the season.
One of several slot receivers on Brian Daboll’s second Giants roster, Robinson went down midway through last season. Had the Giants left Robinson on the PUP list, he would have been required to miss four regular-season games. The Giants will instead go week to week with the Kentucky alum, who played in only six games as a rookie.
During an offseason in which Big Blue hoarded slot receivers, Crowder arrived on a one-year, $1.32MM deal that included only $28K guaranteed. The latter figure made Crowder far from certain to land on the Giants’ 53-man roster. The Giants also added Parris Campbell and Cole Beasley, bringing back Sterling Shepard on a low-cost deal as well. Darius Slayton also re-signed with the team, while waiver claim-turned-regular Isaiah Hodgins remains as well. The Giants also drafted Jalin Hyatt in Round 3.
Crowder, 30, has five 600-plus-yard receiving seasons on his resume. The former Washington slot receiver caught on with the Jets in 2019, becoming a regular target during Sam Darnold’s early seasons. The diminutive target was not making a major transition, system-wise, as he spent last year with the Bills. But a fractured ankle led to Crowder’s season ending early. He will again look for a new team.
Is Shepard’s spot safe? Keeping 7 on the 53 is tough.